*Sears, AOL Launch Holiday Campaign, Sweepstakes

Retail and Internet service provider heavyweights Sears, Roebuck and Co. and America Online Inc. yesterday announced the launch of a holiday marketing campaign and a $500,000 sweepstakes.

The so-called Sears Good Life Giveaway sweepstakes is being used to entice consumers to buy one-year AOL membership service contracts from Sears retail stores. In addition to the grand-prize sweepstakes entry, consumers who sign up for Internet service will receive a Sears.com shopping spree worth $20 and 700 hours of free AOL service in their first month.

Sears has made AOL memberships available at its electronics department registers in 860 department stores in the United States and in nine stores in Puerto Rico as well as at the service desk in 180 Sears Hardware stores.

AOL 6.0 members can use their Sears-branded charge cards to pay for membership packages in-store or online.

These promotions are part of an alliance that the companies announced in March, which is designed to bring the Internet and emerging technologies together with an already established, traditional brand name.

EXTENDED DEADLINE

You have until Wednesday, December 7 to get your entries in. Learn more here.